Natural History Books
HarperCollins Publishers Forest of the Pygmies
Book SynopsisFrom one of the world's best loved storytellers, the trilogy that began with City of the Beasts comes to a thrilling climax.Alexander Cold knows all too well his grandmother Kate is never far from an adventure. When National Geographic commissions her to write an article about the first elephant-led safaris in Africa, they head with Nadia Santos and the magazine''s photography crew to the blazing, red plains of Kenya. Days into the tour, a Catholic missionary approaches the camp in search of his companions who have mysteriously disappeared. Kate, Alexander, Nadia, and their team, agreeing to aid the rescue, enlists the help of a local pilot to lead them to the swampy forests of Ngoubé. There they discover a clan of Pygmies who unveil a harsh and surprising world of corruption, slavery, and poaching.Alexander and Nadia, entrusting the magical strengths of Jaguar and Eagle, their totemic animal spirits, launch a spectacular and precarious struggle to restore freedom and return leadershTrade ReviewPraise for City of the Beasts: 'Written with Allende's characteristic verve, City of the Beasts is the kind of accomplishment to show young readers that there's more to life than Harry Potter.' Literary Review 'A vivid fable… Allende's prose soars' Guardian 'Marvellous, marvel-filled… Beautifully written and utterly entrancing' Independent on Sunday Praise for Kingdom of the Golden Dragon: ‘Allende again proves her talent for evoking exotic landscapes, spinning tall stories and weaving seductive magic.’ Sunday Times 'This spellbinding novel, like its predecessor, is storytelling at its best' Mail on Sunday
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers What Happened to the Dinosaurs
Book SynopsisBuild your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level''What Happened to the Dinosaurs'' investigates why these huge creatures disappeared. The important question, ''How do we know they existed?'' is answered with a clear timeline of images. Various theories are suggested, which support knowledge and understanding of climate change, volcanoes, asteroids and evolution of the animals which did survive.Topaz/Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate.Text type An information book.The response page summarises the main theories and could support a presented talk.Curriculum links Science: Living things in their environment.This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.
£10.20
HarperCollins Publishers Collins Complete British Mushrooms and Toadstools
Book SynopsisCollins Complete Guide to British Muchrooms and Toadstools allows everyone to identify mushrooms found in Britain and Ireland. The book is illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout, featuring the species you are most likely to see.By only covering Britain and Ireland, fewer species are included than in many broader European guides, making it quicker and easier for the reader to accurately identify what they have found.Extensive details on size, shape and colour are given and over 1,500 photographs help you identify each species.This is the essential photographic guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain and Ireland.Trade ReviewPraise for the Collins Complete series: 'Wonderfully descriptive photographs'BBC Wildlife ‘Whether you are a keen amateur or someone with a passing interest, this book will satisfy your needs.’The Sea 'Packs in lots of well-chosen detail in compact form'British Wildlife Magazine
£17.09
HarperCollins Publishers British Wildlife A photographic guide to every
Book SynopsisA comprehensive and heavily illustrated guide to every species of British wildlife, this book is the definitive photographic reference guide for nature enthusiasts.Collins Complete Guide to British Wildlife allows everyone to identify the wildlife found in Britain and Ireland. The book is illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout, featuring the mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates you are most likely to see, as well as all the common plants.By only covering Britain and Ireland, fewer species are included than in many broader European guides, making it quicker and easier for the reader to accurately identify what they have found.This is the essential photographic guide to the wildlife of Britain and Ireland.Trade Review'Wonderfully descriptive photographs'BBC Wildlife
£16.14
HarperCollins Publishers British Wild Flowers
Book SynopsisA complete photoguide to all the wild flowers of Britain to accompany the bestselling Complete British WIldlife.With over 1,000 main entries covering wildflowers, shrubs, aquatic plants, grasses, sedges and rushes Collins Complete Guide to British Wild Flowers is a definitive photographic reference guide for flower enthusiasts.Helpful information about habitats of wild flowers and useful tips to aid identification are included along with a botanical hotspots section detailing 100 rarer species. Comparison pages show different leaf shapes and flower clusters to enable quick and easy navigation to the right section of the book to make your identification. Detailed information on which places to visit in Britain particularly rich in flower species are also included, along with individual maps showing where each species can be found.This is the essential photographic field guide of the best wild flowers Britain has to offer.Trade Review'Packs in lots of well-chosen detail in compact form'British Wildlife Magazine 'An ideal first flower guide'Kew magazine
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers British Trees
Book SynopsisAn essential guide to every species of tree found in the British Isles outside of arboretumsThis easy-to-use guide covers the 360 species of tree that are found in Britain & Ireland. Each species is covered in detail with information on how to identify, whether from a leaf, twig, bark or whole tree, plus extra information on where the tree grows (including a map), how high they grow, what uses the tree is used for and its unique history.Every species is also comprehensively illustrated with photographs of every useful feature bark, leaf, seed, flower, twig and whole tree.Sample identification section:Silver Birch Betula pendula (Betulaceae) height to 26mA slender, fast-growing deciduous tree with a narrow, tapering crown when young and growing vigorously. Older trees acquire a weeping habit, especially if growing in an open, uncrowded situation.
£16.14
HarperCollins Publishers Birds of Eastern Africa Collins Field Guide
Book SynopsisEastern Africa is becoming an increasingly popular destination for people who want to see first-hand the abundant widlife of this vast continent.Birds of Eastern Africa' is the only field guide to feature over 450 species found in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia (including Socotra Island).Including full colour illustrations of each bird, key features on habitat, songs and calls, and distribution maps for each species, this guide contains all the information needed to quickly identify the birds found in this vast region.Comprehensive and easy-to-use, this book is a must for all those visiting the region.
£21.25
HarperCollins Publishers Shallow Seas Book 131 Collins New Naturalist
Book SynopsisShallow Seas are the most biologically rich and productive areas of the world ocean. This latest New Naturalist volume provides a natural history of this environment and its biological communities.Trade ReviewPraise for Peter Hayward’s previous volume on Seashore: ‘Scientifically accurate throughout, and there are plenty of interesting insights’ British Wildlife Praise for the New Naturalist series: ‘A glory of British publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent
£29.75
HarperCollins Publishers Collins Complete Irish Wildlife
Book SynopsisThe essential photographic guide to Ireland''s wildlife.Collins Complete Irish Wildlife describes almost all the mammals, birds, fish and butterflies of Ireland likely to be encountered by the keen amateur naturalist, as well as all the common and widespread flowers, trees and shrubs. With over 1,000 colour photographs, this comprehensive guide illustrates every species described. The introduction by Ireland''s best known wildlife expert, Derek Mooney, sets out where you can find the best of Irish wildlife.Reptiles and amphibians, insects and spiders, molluscs and other invertebrates are also featured, and species are organised taxonomically. Each section is coded with a symbol for quick reference and species are grouped according to natural relationships and similarities. Collins Complete Irish Wildlife is a book no nature lover should travel without.Trade ReviewPraise for the Collins Complete series: 'Wonderfully descriptive photographs'BBC Wildlife 'Packs in lots of well-chosen detail in compact form'British Wildlife ‘A bookshelf essential’The Field
£17.99
HarperCollins Publishers When Sophie Met Darcy Day
Book SynopsisA heartwarming collection of stories from a woman who brings together disadvantaged children and abandoned racehorses, with remarkable results.
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers MAKING THE CAT LAUGH
Book SynopsisOne woman''s journal of single life on the margins.A brilliant collection of Lynne Truss' journalism recording the life of a metropolitan refugee from coupledom. The alternative Bridget Jones'.For seven long years, starting in The Listener' in 1988 and continuing in The Times' and Woman''s Journal', Lynne Truss has been trying to make her cat laugh. It has been an uphill task, which is why she deserves this book, a recognition of outstanding courage in the face of futility. Along the way, ''Margins'', ''Single of Life'' and ''One Woman''s Journal'' have collected a band of devoted fans, yet still the cat remains unimpressed.Never have so many jokes about Kitbits been found in such concentration as in Making the Cat Laugh'. But under the headings such as ''The Single Woman Considers Going Out but Doesn''t Fancy the Hassle'' and ''The Single Woman Stays at Home and Goes Quietly Mad'', we discover a writer not only obsessed with cats, but prone to over-reacting generally - to news storieTrade Review'A small masterpiece of comedy… with abundant close observation, the familiar is made fresh… A continual hoot.' The Times 'Trenchant writing, invigorating valour, and a shrewdly observant wit.' Scotland on Sunday ‘A truly inventive comic writer … You should not attempt to read Making the Cat Laugh while travelling on public transport’ Irish Times
£8.99
HarperCollins Publishers Collecting the New Naturalists Collins New
Book SynopsisThe Collins New Naturalist series is the longest-running and arguably the most influential natural history series in the world with over 120 volumes published in nearly 70 years.Trade ReviewPraise for the New Naturalist series: ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent
£45.00
HarperCollins Publishers A Friend Like Ben The true story of the little black and white cat that saved my son
Book SynopsisThe heart-warming true story of a little boy and the cat that changed his life.Trade Review‘Julia paints a vivid picture of the symptoms and effects of autism… A truly inspirational biography.’ Hull Daily Mail ‘A very interesting read which is both uplifting and informative.’ South Wales Argus ‘A satisfying true story… the perfect Christmas gift for a cat lover.’ The Weekend Examiner ‘Heart-warming… perfect winter reading.’ Your Cat Magazine
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Climate and Weather Book 115 Collins New
Book SynopsisReviewing the history and causes of climatic change and evaluating regional models, this New Naturalist volume offers an important analysis of climatic variations.
£187.50
HarperCollins Publishers Helper Bird
Book SynopsisThis little bird may be small, but it's very helpful to bigger animals. This photographic non-fiction book shows how the bird is able to help the larger animals around it, set against the stunning backdrop of Africa.Yellow/Band 3 books offer varied sentence structure and natural languageChildren can recap the different ways the bird can help other animals on pages 1415.Text type: A simple non-fiction bookCurriculum links: Citizenship: Animals and usThis book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.
£8.33
HarperCollins Publishers British Coastal Wildlife
Book SynopsisDiscover over 1,200 species of animals and plants found in the coastal regions of Britain and make the most of your surroundings, whether you are on a holiday browse or serious quest. This is the definitive photographic reference guide for nature enthusiasts.This informative photographic guide will help nature enthusiasts visiting the seashore to discover and quickly and accurately identify the animals and plants commonly found in the coastal areas of Britain.The book is illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout, the perfect seashore companion for staycation' travelling nature enthusiasts as well as general natural history buffs. Young and old alike keen to discover the wildlife of Britain''s coastal areas will delight in this beautifully practical guide.Trade Review‘Beautiful photographs’ The London Naturalist Praise for the Collins Complete series: 'Wonderfully descriptive photographs'BBC Wildlife 'Packs in lots of well-chosen detail in compact form'British Wildlife ‘A bookshelf essential’The Field
£17.99
HarperCollins Publishers Gorillas
Book SynopsisGorillas are fascinating animals - find out all about their habitat, diet and behaviour in this photographic non-fiction book by Teresa Heapy.
£8.33
HarperCollins Publishers Ramble On
Book SynopsisThis fascinating ramble through the history of walking delves into our relationship with the British countryside.Ramble On' tells the story of how country walks were transformed from a small and often illegal pastime to the most popular recreational activity in the country.From the brave band of hikers who scaled the off-limits peak Kinder Scout in 1932, via the intricate Lake District guides of Alfred Wainwright, to the resistant landowners (including the notorious Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, Madonna and Jeremy Clarkson) who have done their level best (and worst) to keep walkers off their land this is the definitive history of rambling.Perfectly capturing the sense of exhilaration on reaching the summit of a blustery hill-top path, Ramble On' is for anyone who has ever pulled on a pair of walking boots or is partial to the taste of Kendal mintcake.Trade ReviewPraise for ‘Ramble On’: ‘McKay makes an agreeable tramping companion. For McKay walking is a serious pleasure, which is as it should be’ Tom Fort, Sunday Telegraph ‘Ramble On is a fascinating and lovingly written book that gets to the heart of a pursuit enjoyed by thousands throughout the British Isles every weekend’ Carl Wilkinson, Financial Times ‘Excellent history of the pastime … McKay’s gripping story of the struggle is enlivened by atmospheric descriptions of his own rambles and is rich in anecdote’ John Harding, Daily Mail ‘Sinclair McKay aims to convey the essence of this story through visits to some of the often inspiring places in which it has been acted out.’ Guardian Chronicles the changing relationship between landowners and roamers, and branches out into B&B, Wordsworth, Wainright, shifting patterns of class and the history of walking togs’ Country Life ‘Charming book – part of a history of British walking, part of a memoir of McKay’s wanderings.’ Daily Telegraph ‘Highly companionable … McKay gives a fascinating account of how walkers have since the Thirties battled landowners for the right to roam across Britain. In McKay’s version, walking is a political act and the Rambler’s Association is an advanced guard of egalitarians.’ Sunday Telegraph Books of the Year ‘This book should inspire you to don your walking boots and head for the hills’ Choice Magazine, Paperback Book of the Month
£11.39
HarperCollins Publishers Collins British Tree Guide Collins Pocket Guide
Book SynopsisExperience the joy of discovering the natural world around you with this beautiful pocket guide to British trees, an inspiration and treat designed to enthral all nature lovers.This comprehensive guide to British trees contains some of the finest original tree illustrations ever produced. Covering all tree species commonly found outside the major arboretums, the text highlights the most important things to look for to aid fast and accurate identification, and the illustrations are annotated with essential features.The introduction contains illustrations of the main leaves, buds, and firs you are likely to find, which also provide the starting point for identification by leading you to a ''key'' species. Within each tree family there is a list of key species and a guide to the most important features to look for when identifying a particular tree from that family. Individual species are then thoroughly described and a detailed illustration features on the same page.This is the ideal pocTrade Review‘Entertaining and informative. A visual delight' BBC Wildlife 'Outstanding colour paintings … precise and accurate' The Times 'David More's illustrations astonish by their beauty and detail' New Scientist 'A must for all tree huggers and lovers' Ecologist 'In the firmament of tree specialists, Dr Owen Johnson is a definite star' The Field
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Collins British Wild Flower Guide
Book SynopsisExperience the joy of discovering the natural world around you with this beautiful pocket guide to British wild flowers, an inspiration and treat designed to enthral all nature lovers.Leading botanical artists specially commissioned to ensure beautifully detailed illustrations feature the most widely common British wild flowers. Species are described and illustrated on the same page, with up-to-date authoritative text aiding identification. They are arranged by family, with their key features highlighted for quick and easy reference.This is an indispensable guide for all those with an interest in the countryside, whether amateur or expert, and is beautifully packaged to lend itself both as gift or self-purchase.Trade Review'This book is a great achievement that will be hard to match … a beautiful and well-judged illustrated flora.'British Wildlife
£15.29
HarperCollins Publishers Raptor
Book SynopsisWinner of The Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Award for Non-Fiction in 2011 and the Authors'' Foundation Roger Deakin Award in 2011A stunning debut in the tradition of Robert Macfarlane and Helen MacdonaldOf all the birds of the British Isles, the raptor reigns supreme, sparking the imagination like no other. In this magnificent hymn to these beautiful animals, James Macdonald Lockhart explores all fifteen breeding birds of prey on these shores from the hen harrier swimming over the land in the dregs of a May gale on Orkney, to the ghostly sparrowhawk displaying in the fields around his home in Warwickshire. This is a book that will change how we think of our own skies.Trade Review‘Lockhart's prose is so intimate, urgent, and visceral as to make his darkly resonant ruminations almost unfailingly gripping’ Independent ‘A hymn in praise of living, soaring, terrifying grandeur … his exquisite, poetic language is a sensuous delight without sacrificing scientific accuracy … A tour de force’ Daily Mail ‘Lockhart puts the rapture back in the raptor. Raptor rips at its words, turning them into exquisite portraits of the utter wild, shaping soaring, obsessive beauty out of the British landscape and its imperial birds. A true heir to J.A. Baker's The Peregrine, and T.H. White's The Goshawk' Philip Hoare ‘In Lockhart’s soaring debut he laces vivid prose with illuminating facts … He elegantly depicts these creatures of the sky and, in doing so, celebrates the natural richness of the country over which they fly’ Financial Times ‘If you publish a book on birds of prey in the tumultuous wake of Helen MacDonald’s prizewinning H is for Hawk, you expect comparisons. James MacDonald Lockhart can relax. His book is outstanding … Wild birds of prey represent the living spirit of a place- of Britain. In this delicate, complex, open-ended book, full of freshness and movement, he captures that wild spirit without ever making it feel captive’ Sunday Times ‘Lockhart brings out both the birds’ ecstatic gifts of flight but also the tragedy and triumph of their predatory lifestyle… His descriptions are as precise as they are inventive’ Observer ‘Lockhart is stepping towards the distinguished company of the great modern literary books on birds of prey… The writing, at times, is as good as anything we have on the subject to date’ Country Life ‘His understanding of raptor ethology shines’ Nature ‘Any bird of prey fan will find it irresistible … thoroughly recommended’ BirdGuides ‘Nothing prepared me for the sustained brilliance and intensity of this book … Warm, intimate, full of wonder and delight in the ways the birds revealed themselves’ Caught by the River
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Collins Fungi Guide The most complete field guide
Book SynopsisThe sixth title in the bestselling Collins Guide series, this book covers the fungi of the British Isles, with considerable relevance for Europe and the wider temperate world.Leading mycological artists have been specially commissioned to ensure accurate, detailed illustrations. Where possible, species are described and illustrated on the same page, with up-to-date authoritative text aiding identification. Nearly 2,400 species are illustrated in full colour, with detailed notes on how to correctly identify them, including details of similar, confusing species. Illustrations of young and mature fruiting bodies are included where necessary, and key features are highlighted for quick and easy reference.Written by one of Europe''s leading mycologists and horticultural scientists, Stefan Buczacki, and illustrated by two of the world''s leading natural history illustrators, Chris Shields and Denys Ovenden, this is the ultimate field guide for mushroom and toadstool lovers.Trade Review‘What a great book. It adds a needed publication for the amateur's library which goes beyond other field guides. The illustrations of crust fungi are excellent and it is a pleasure to see them receive their rightful place in a fungal manual. I am sure you will stimulate many to look at the lower Basidiomycetes in a different light and overcome that fear of looking for and at them. Great stuff! […] A book which should be in lots of naturalists’ hands, not just field mycologists. I would gladly recommend [it] to anyone attending my forays and to my apprentices.’ Prof Roy Watling MBE, DSc., FRSE [Former Head of Mycology and Plant Pathology and sometime Acting Regius Keeper at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh] ‘There are some great images here to delight us […] this book will bring hundreds of new, rare or unusual species to the attention of the general reader, with the added bonus of their up-to-date names.’ Field Mycology journal (British Mycological Society)
£22.09
HarperCollins Publishers Alien Plants Book 129 Collins New Naturalist
Book SynopsisThe word ‘aliens’ can be used in many ways, to invoke fear, dislike and fascination. For biologists it is used to indicate organisms that have been introduced by people to new territories. In the British Isles alien plants are common, conspicuous, pestiferous, beautiful, edible – and can be both useful and harmful.Trade Review‘One of the greatest New Naturalists of recent times … a major contribution to British natural history and popular science. A tremendous work on an important subject.’ British Wildlife Praise for the New Naturalist series: ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent
£48.75
HarperCollins Publishers Yorkshire Dales Book 130 Collins New Naturalist
Book SynopsisA definitive natural history of the Yorkshire Dales, covering the range of wildlife habitats, rich cultural heritage and ecological history of one of our best-loved National Parks.Trade Review‘A pleasant excursion into another of our National Parks … in a very readable, engaged style.’ British Wildlife Praise for the New Naturalist series: ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent
£45.00
HarperCollins Publishers Lakes Loughs and Lochs Book 128 Collins New
Book SynopsisAnother volume in the popular New Naturalist series, this book gives a comprehensive account of the natural history of Britain and Ireland’s inland waters, many of which are popular holiday destinations.Trade ReviewPraise for the New Naturalist series: ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent
£48.00
HarperCollins Publishers Lakes Loughs and Lochs Book 128 Collins New
Book Synopsis
£29.75
HarperCollins Publishers In the Sea
Book SynopsisThis photographic non-fiction book explores the sea and looks at what kinds of plants and creatures live there including fish, jellyfish, seaweed and seals!This photographic non-fiction book explores the sea and looks at what kinds of plants and creatures live there including fish, jellyfish, seaweed and seals!Pink A/Band 1B books offer simple, predictable text with familiar objects and actionsPhotographs of all the different things that can be found in the sea on pages 1415 help children to recap and provide a wealth of speaking and listening opportunities.Text type: A non-fiction reportCurriculum links: Understanding of the world
£7.87
HarperCollins Publishers Vegetation of Britain and Ireland Book 122
Book SynopsisAnother volume in the popular New Naturalist series, this book covers all aspects of the plant life of Britain and Ireland.
£63.00
HarperCollins Publishers Astronomy Photographer of the Year Collection 2
Book SynopsisAll the winning and shortlisted images from the 2013 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, which is organized by the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.Trade Review"a magnificent treat for astronomers everywhere" Good Book Guide “This is an ideal gift for lovers of photography, astronomy and the natural world.” The Irish News "A truly stunning collection of images from some of the world's top amateur astrophotographers" – Will Gater (Astronomer) “a useful guide for anyone hoping to develop their astrophotography skills.” Outdoor Photography
£33.96
HarperCollins Publishers Terns Book 123 Collins New Naturalist Library
Book SynopsisThis New Naturalist volume provides a much-anticipated overview of these fascinating birds - the first book on the natural history of British and Irish terns since 1934.
£52.50
HarperCollins Publishers Between the Sunset and the Sea A View of 16
Book SynopsisSimon Ingram takes us high into Britain's most forbidding and astonishing wild places through all the seasons of the year from the first blush of spring to the darkest bite of the mountain winter.In the late 18th century, mountains shifted from being universally reviled to becoming the most inspiring things on earth. Simply put, the monsters became muses and an entire artistic movement was born. This movement became a love affair, the love affair became an obsession, and gradually but surely, obsession became lifestyle as mountains became stitched into the fabric of the British cultural tapestry.In his compelling new book, Simon Ingram explores how mountains became such a preoccupation for the modern western imagination, weaving his own adventures into a powerful narrative which provides a kind of experiential hit list for people who don't have the time nor the will to climb a thousand mountains.For some of these mountains, the most amazing thing about them might be the journey they'Trade Review‘Wonderful’ Clare Balding ‘This is the work of a polymath mountain-lover with a backpack-sized curiosity and the stamina to take notes when most of us would be gasping for breath. It’s not just painstakingly researched, it’s also well written … an intrepid, original book’ The Times ‘A welcome and refreshing addition to the increasingly crowded field of New Nature Writing. Warm, poetic and humane yet shivery with the vertiginous thrill and allure that mountains cast over some of us.’ Stuart Maconie ‘Almost Tolkienian in delivery … Between the Sunset and the Sea turns mountain climbs into a form of poetry.’ BBC Countryfile ‘Rich, thought-provoking and lyrical.’ Scotland Outdoors ‘Accessible and refreshing … written in an engaging style that quickly takes the reader into its confidence. The endearing confession of an authentic mountain addict.’ Country Walking ‘Makes for an engrossing read … a book of considerable depth, full of fascinating and well-researched detail.’ Walk Magazine
£13.49
HarperCollins Publishers Collins BTO Guide to British Birds
Book SynopsisIn a unique new collaboration, Collins have paired up with the respected British Trust for Ornithology, bringing together the most authoritative and up-to-date information in this new field guide to the common birds of Britain and Ireland.This unique new identification guide features all of the birds that have occurred five or more times in Britain and Ireland, including all species that breed regularly in the region, plus those that winter here, or occur as common passage migrants.The book has been written and illustrated as much with the beginner in mind as the experienced birdwatcher. Designed to be used in the field, the text and photographs describe and illustrate the key features needed to identify a species with confidence, and to separate it from similar, or confusion', species. As a general rule, the species accounts follow the taxonomic running order provided by the British Ornithologist's Union (BOU). But for the benefit of the reader, in some instances the running order hasTrade ReviewPraise for Paul Sterry’s previous titles: 'Wonderfully descriptive photographs' BBC Wildlife ‘Whether you are a keen amateur or someone with a passing interest, this book will satisfy your needs.’ The Sea 'Packs in lots of well-chosen detail in compact form' British Wildlife ‘A bookshelf essential’ The Field
£17.99
HarperCollins Publishers Woodsman
Book SynopsisBen Law's incredible sense of the land and his respect for age old traditions offers a wonderful insight into the life of Prickly Nut Wood.Having travelled to Papua New Guinea and the Amazon, observing age-old techniques for living in, working in and preserving forests and woodland, Ben Law felt compelled to return home and apply his learnings to a 400-year-old plot of woodland near where he grew up Prickly Nut Wood.This is the story of how he came to know and love his woodland, how he lived off the land, how he coppiced and hedged and created charcoal, how he puddled and built shelter, and finally how he carved out his famous, characterful woodland home that Kevin McCloud has cited as his favourite ever Grand Design.Trade Review‘Ben Law’s house is my favourite Grand Design’ Kevin McCloud ‘This book will leave you with a sense of awe and admiration but also a yearning to follow in Ben’s footsteps’ Permaculture magazine ‘Ben continues to inspire his readers about woodland … In Prickly Nut Wood, Ben Law practically demonstrates the benefits of living close to the land’ Woodland Matters
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Salmon The Extraordinary Story of the King of Fish
Book SynopsisA fascinating journey into the extraordinary world of the king of fish: the salmon. This beautiful book explores the natural history of this most mysterious of fishes.Trade Review‘Mr Wigan is a skilled researcher and evocative writer’ Wall Street Journal ‘The Salmon is less a scholarly tome and more of a call to arms on behalf of the salmon.’ Chicago Tribune ‘If you think you have read it all before, let me assure you that you haven't. The Salmon is quite the best book I've read on the subject, skilfully told with wit and a wry turn of phrase […] This is a fishing book, scientific analysis, tragedy, love story, history and story of hope rolled into one.’ Classic Angling ‘Although there are occasional passages about the passionate experience of angling, this is no mere sport fisherman’s celebration – it is a forensic, and often caustic, analysis of the historical interaction between humans and 'the silver wanderer’ Country Life ‘It's an absolute must read for anyone even remotely interested in the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon’ Atlantic Salmon Journal ‘Extremely well-informed’ Literary Review ‘Michael Wigan gives us passionate advocacy on behalf of the wild Atlantic salmon. Above all he recognises the salmon as environmental indicator – “the hydrographer’s fish” – as well as cultural icon and economic driver.’ Tony Andrews, director of the Atlantic Salmon Trust ‘The life cycle of the salmon comes alive in Wigan’s passionate book … a highly readable account of the king of fish.’ Shooting Times
£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Smell of Summer Grass
Book SynopsisThe Smell of Summer Grass is the story of the years spent in finding and building a personal idyll, sometimes a dream, sometimes a nightmare, by writer Adam Nicolson and his wife, cook and gardener, Sarah Raven.Without knowing one end of a hay baler from the other, Adam Nicolson and Sarah Raven, fed up with London and with life, escaped with his family to a run-down farm in the Sussex Weald. Looking for Arcadia, they found a mixture of intense beauty and profound chaos. Over three years they struggled with dock leaves, spring flowers, bloody-minded sheep and neighbours before eventually arriving at some kind of equilibrium.Funny, poetic, ironic and wise, The Smell of Summer Grass' is based partly on the long out of print ''Perch Hill''. It traces the growing intimacy between man and his chosen place, his love affair with it and his frustrations with its intractable realities. As an attempt to live out the pastoral vision, it makes one heartfelt plea: we should never abandon our dreams.Trade Review'Candid, observant and often very funny' Daily Mail 'A delightful memoir – a reminder that the very best writing starts at home' Robert McCrum, Observer Praise for ‘The Mighty Dead’: ‘Thrilling and unsettling … [a] wonderfully expressive alloy of travelogue, scholarship and advocacy, which broods with heartfelt grace … Nicolson's books always shine with the Homeric virtues of eloquence, passion, generosity, audacity and candour … He does them proud’ Boyd Tonkin, Independent ‘A beautiful study: full of insight, generosity and unaffected passion. The writing is exhilarating’ Guardian ‘A thrillingly energised book … it transmits a whole worldview at once decipherable and dramatically strange … To read Homer is to be struck by what Nicolson calls ‘time-vertigo’ – and this book is one that holds your hand and encourages you to peer over the edge. To read it is to have a fat pair of Homeric jump-leads attached from Nicolson’s sparkling and crackling faculties to your own’ Spectator ‘As gripping as a thriller and as delicately constructed as a sonnet … an astonishing tour de force that reveals Homer to be at once as ancient as papyrus and as modern as MTV … Not only does he have an inward understanding of how Homer’s poetry works, his own prose also has the sharp glitter of a poet’s eye’ Telegraph
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Dogs in Heaven and Other Animals and Other Animals Extraordinary stories of animals reaching out from the other side HarperTrue Fate A Short Read
Book SynopsisOur pets are our family. They love us, comfort us and make us laugh – so it’s no wonder that letting them go is so hard. But amazing and inspirational true stories from Jacky Newcomb show that we will be reunited with them again.
£6.99
HarperCollins Publishers British Butterflies and Moths Collins Complete
Book SynopsisA comprehensive and fully illustrated guide, this book is the definitive photographic reference guide for anyone interested in butterflies and moths found in Britain and Ireland.Every species that occurs regularly in Britain and Ireland is included, along with a section dealing with the rarest of the rare' extinct species or very rare immigrants. There follows the main section of the book, which covers our larger moths; every species that occurs regularly in Britain and Ireland is mentioned.Trade ReviewPraise for Paul Sterry: 'Wonderfully descriptive photographs'BBC Wildlife ‘Whether you are a keen amateur or someone with a passing interest, this book will satisfy your needs.’The Sea 'Packs in lots of well-chosen detail in compact form'British Wildlife Magazine ‘A bookshelf essential’The Field
£17.99
HarperCollins Publishers Pembrokeshire Book 141 Collins New Naturalist
Book SynopsisThis lushly illustrated and fully comprehensive book about the wildlife, landscapes and history of Pembrokeshire is a much-anticipated addition to the New Naturalist series, and reveals the incredible wealth of biodiversity present in the region.Surrounded by sea on three sides, Pembrokeshire is the only national park in the UK designated mainly for its coastline. In addition to idyllic beaches, the park includes deep wooded valleys and tranquil estuaries, as well as a marine nature reserve. There is greater variety of geological and landform scenery in the park than in any other area of the same size in the British Isles, and it is an essential sanctuary for many of Britain's seabird species. There are also important archaeological sites in the park, from Iron Age hill forts and standing stones to the spectacular cathedral of St Davids, as Pembrokeshire has been consistently inhabited by humans since the Neolithic period.Jonathan Mullard explores the evolving landscape and observes itTrade ReviewPraise for Pembrokeshire ‘Pairing the storytelling ways of Mullard with the beautiful and stunning images and artwork found throughout the book truly does make this a must for any natural history lover … A welcome addition to the New Naturalist series’ BBC Wildlife magazine Jonathan Mullard is having a great run in this series with two other fine books – The Gower and The Brecon Beacons – already out there. Here, he covers a National Park designated for its 200 miles or so of coastline, offering a wide variety of wildlife with some amazing offshore islands that hold some of Britain's best seabird colonies. AIong with that, a collection of great naturalists have laid down the foundations of this book with their records over many years. Add in some brilliant photography, along with Jonathan Mullard’s quest to discover every last bit of relevant information, and you are set for an exciting read and a chance to book your next holidays’ Bird Watching magazine Praise for the New Naturalist series ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent
£52.00
HarperCollins Publishers Care for Your Hamster RSPCA Pet Guide
Book SynopsisPublished in association with the RSPCA, the UK's leading animal welfare charity, this practical family guide is full of expert advice on how to choose a hamster and how best to look after it.If you already own or are planning to buy a hamster this easy-to-use introductory guide is a must. Clearly illustrated with colour photographs throughout, it covers all aspects of daily care including housing, feeding, handling, hygiene, exercise and first aid.Published in association with the experts at the RSPCA, this book will help you ensure that you are giving your hamster the best possible care.
£8.20
HarperCollins Publishers Care for Your Guinea Pigs RSPCA Pet Guide
Book SynopsisPublished in association with the RSPCA, the UK's leading animal welfare charity, this practical family guide is full of expert advice on how to choose a guinea pig and how best to look after it.If you already own or are planning to buy a guinea pig this easy-to-use introductory guide is a must. Clearly illustrated with colour photographs throughout, it covers all aspects of daily care including housing, feeding, hygiene, grooming, exercise and first aid.Published in association with the experts at the RSPCA, this book will help you ensure that you are giving your guinea pig the best possible care.
£8.20
HarperCollins Publishers RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR
Book SynopsisRich and strange from the tip of its title to its deep-sunk bones' Robert MacfarlaneFrom the author of Leviathan, or, The Whale, comes a composite portrait of the subtle, beautiful, inspired and demented ways in which we have come to terms with our watery planet.In the third of his watery books, the author goes in pursuit of human and animal stories of the sea. Of people enchanted or driven to despair by the water, accompanied by whales and birds and seals familiar spirits swimming and flying with the author on his meandering odyssey from suburbia into the unknown.Along the way, he encounters drowned poets and eccentric artists, modernist writers and era-defining performers, wild utopians and national heroes famous or infamous, they are all surprisingly, and sometimes fatally, linked to the sea.Out of the storm-clouds of the twenty-first century and our restive time, these stories reach back into the past and forward into the future. This is a shape-shifting world that has never beenTrade Review‘Rarely have I read a book that felt as if it were speaking so directly, so confidentially to me. RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR is about books and about swimming, but most of all it does what all great books do: makes you feel that it’s a private conversation between you and the author. I finished it with an obscure feeling of privilege, to have been granted such access to Hoare’s most secret, intimate self … RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR is a masterpiece’ Alex Preston, Observer ‘A rich and strange combination of memoir, travelogue and literary biography … RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR contains much of wonder in words strewn across its pages like treasures revealed on the sand by a retreating tide’ Caspar Henderson, Financial Times ‘This is an exquisite read, stuffed with dark myths and eerie legends, nourished by the author’s sublime gift for poetic description’ Michael Simkins, Mail on Sunday ‘Hoare conveys a redemptive sense of the wide, continuous and beautiful world, in a remarkable book that sometimes feels rather loosely fitted together, but is always rich and strange’ Guardian ‘His idiosyncratic tales of mariners, adventurers and the odd dilettante rise almost to the level of poetry … he evokes the sense of majesty that a seascape can inspire in us’ Clive Davis, The Times ‘Wonderful…This beautifully written book is a delight’BBC Radio 4 The themes and preoccupations are familiar from Hoare’s previous writing … but their revisiting here reveals a landscape as exhilarating different as that of the foreshore from one tide to the next’ Jane Shilling, Evening Standard ‘Hoare writes with a beautiful and liquid assurance, luxuriantly at home in this half-modernist, half-conventional medium and capable of astonishingly realised visions of floating moments and sea encounters’ Adam Nicholson, Spectator ‘A swirling, poetic reverie’ Esquire ‘He is poetic and precise…a rich portrait of the sea as an imaginative landscape’ TLS ‘Written with a poetic beauty’ i newspaper
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Tales from a Young Vet
Book SynopsisThe funny, touching and entertaining story of how Jo Hardy, the star of BBC2's Young Vets, gets to grips with animals big and small, friendly and not-at-all-happy, on the road to becoming a fully qualified vet.Stand well clear. Keep your eyes on them. Oh, and make sure you have insurance.'Not the most comforting words of wisdom, but probably the most useful for a trainee vet, Jo would say. From well-equipped surgeries to windswept hills and ramshackle barns, Jo has to be able to diagnose and treat any animal, at any time of the day or night. It's not quite as easy as James Herriot made it seem.Jo's final year of training saw her race from rectal examinations of cows to spine surgery on a Great Dane, and from treating an eventing horse with a heart problem to inserting a contraceptive implant into a monkey.And then there were the owners the tough guy who sobbed when his cat was diagnosed with cancer, the woman who was convinced her dog was embarrassed by its stomach upset, and the farmer who loved his cows as much as anyone loves their pets.Gruelling days of animal treatments and visits combined with long nights of study and revision made Jo's final year of training the most demanding and rewarding year of her life. Her book tells of the highs and lows, the pets that stole her heart, and the lifelong friends that she made with two legs and four.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Farming and Birds Book 135 Collins New Naturalist
Book Synopsis Given the underlying topography, the scenery over most of Britain has been created largely by human activities. Over the centuries, landscapes have been continually modified as human needs and desires have changed. Trade Review‘A masterly and wide-ranging account of the consequences for bird populations of the recent shifts in British farming practices. Ian Newton’s perspective on one of the greatest environmental issues of modern times is especially valuable, having personally researched birds throughout the decades when agricultural intensification was at its height … This book should become a classic account of how land-use policy can have profound and rapid effects on the other species with which we share the land. It deserves to be widely read, including, one hopes, by the policy makers of the future.’ BTO News Praise for Ian Newton: ‘This book is a landmark edition in an already outstanding natural history series, and will make an extremely valuable and treasured addition to the library of anyone serious about birds and their biology.’ Seabirds ‘Truly outstanding – the product of a lifelong inquiry into the annual travels of birds.’ Guardian ‘The New Naturalist series strikes gold with this insight into ultimate avian journeys.’ BBC Wildlife ‘… a work of authority.’ The Daily Telegraph
£48.75
HarperCollins Publishers Beetles Book 136 Collins New Naturalist Library
Book Synopsis‘A truly excellent account’ British Wildlife Beetles are arguably the most diverse organisms in the world, with nearly half a million beetle species described and catalogued in our museums, more than any other type of living thing. Trade Review‘Highly recommended for the bookshelf of anyone wishing to be better acquainted with these remarkable insects.’ British Wildlife Praise for the New Naturalist series: ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent
£28.00
HarperCollins Publishers Beetles Book 136 Collins New Naturalist Library
Book SynopsisA truly excellent account' British WildlifeBeetles are arguably the most diverse organisms in the world, with nearly half a million beetle species described and catalogued in our museums, more than any other type of living thing.This astonishing species diversity is matched by a similar diversity in shape, form, size, life history, ecology, physiology and behaviour. Beetles occur everywhere, and do everything. And yet they form a clearly discrete insect group, typically characterised by their attractively compact form, with flight wings folded neatly under smooth hard wing-cases. Almost anyone could recognise a beetle, indeed many are intimately associated with human society. Groups like ladybirds are familiar to us from a very young age. Large stag beetles and handsome chafers are celebrated for their imposing size and bright colours. The sacred scarabs of the ancient Egyptians were given iconic, if not god-like, status and even though the exact religious meanings may be fading after Trade Review‘Highly recommended for the bookshelf of anyone wishing to be better acquainted with these remarkable insects.’ British Wildlife Praise for the New Naturalist series: ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent
£52.00
HarperCollins Publishers Falcons Book 132 Collins New Naturalist Library
Book SynopsisFalcons have been a source of inspiration to writers, artists, historians and naturalists alike.
£187.50
HarperCollins Publishers Aurora
Book SynopsisThe beautiful aurorae, or northern lights, are the stuff of legends. The ancient stories of the Sami people warn that if you mock the lights they will seize you, and their mythical appeal continues to capture the hearts and imagination of people across the globe.Aurora explores the visual beauty, ancient myths and science of the northern lights and challenges the popular theory of how the lights are formed. Plasma physicist Melanie Windridge explains this extraordinary and evocative phenomenon, a scientific marvel unlike any other in which the powers of astronomy, geology, magnetism and atomic physics combine to create one of the wonders of the natural world.As Melanie travels in search of the perfect aurora, she uncovers the scientific realities of this plasmic phenomenon full of natural power. She combines the science behind the lights with a fascinating travelogue as she pursues the aurora across the northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to Scotland.Trade Review‘Captivating’ Nature ‘Spell-binding … a brilliant blend of auroral science, polar exploration, Sami heritage and folklore … full of wonders.’ The Simple Things ‘Her greatest strength is her ability to illuminate science for the lay person.’ Literary Review ‘Her enthusiasm for all things aurora is, ultimately, infectious and there will be something of interest here for anyone with even a passing curiosity in this remarkable natural phenomenon’ The Times Literary Supplement
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Woodlands
Book SynopsisTrees are wildlife just as deer or primroses are wildlife. Each species has its own agenda and its own interactions with human activities 'Written by one of Britain's best-known naturalists, Woodlands offers a fascinating new insight into the trees of the British landscape that have filled us with awe and inspiration throughout the centuries.Looking at such diverse evidence as the woods used in buildings and ships, and how woodland has been portrayed in pictures and photographs, Rackham traces British woodland through the ages, from the evolution of wildwood, through man's effect on the landscape, modern forestry and its legacy, and recent conservation efforts and their effects.In his lively and thoroughly engaging style, Rackham explores woodlands and their history, through names, surveys, mapping and legal documents, archaeology, photographs and works of art, thus offering an utterly compelling insight into British woodlands and how they have come to shape a national obsession.Trade Review‘Rackham has been a great champion for real woods and against the endless postwar conifer plantations – a campaign now largely won. Here he is writing not as a conservationist, but simply to share his prodigious knowledge of woods and trees with the reader.’The Times ‘… A magnificent compendium of evocations, celebrations and warnings – the harvest of a long lifetime, gathered slowly but with unflagging passion.’Guardian ‘The Woodland Trust welcomes Oliver Rackham’s latest book celebrating the glories of our irreplaceable ancient woodland heritage. Restoration of ancient woods and creation of new woods is vital to creating a countryside which is more sympathetic to woodland wildlife, and which delivers benefits to society.’Woodland Trust ‘Magnificent, masterful … For those of us who worship trees, Rackham is our (slightly grumpy) High Druid. A true classic.’The Week
£16.14
